River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-08-11
Woman's Work For Social Purity
ANNA GARLIN SPENCER.


If we Judge by the standard of public
need, we can truly, and with no exag-
geration say, that the evil of sexual
impuritv in all its forms is second TO
none in magnitude and IN danger. If
we judge by the standard or adaptable
ity of workers to the work, we can de-
clare, without hesitation, that the most
important element in the lessening of
this evil must always be the creating
and enforcing of a correct public sen.
timent in regard to the relation of the
excess, by good and wise and strong
women. If we Judge by the standard
OF necessary help for wrOnged class
of human beings, we must insist that
there is no class of the oppressed in
any civilized community so outraged,
so unjustly and cruelty treated, as the
class of fallen women; and no class so
neglected as the weak and ignorant
and early exposed girls from which the
ranks of these fallen are recruited.
And, finally, if we judge by the stan
dard of personal duty, we must admit,
with shame and c0ntrition, that there
is no stain of selfshness so deep and
black, showing upon the whiteness of
pure womanhood, as that which marks
her dealing with the social evil. Let
us examine these statements more in
detail.
First, as to the public need. This
is not the place for special statistics of
the great body of vice which is Tester
ing at the heart of society. But let
every woman who reads these words,
look about her and at the daily record
of evil in the public press; let her con-
slider the dangers which surround
youth, and the low tone of thought and
life among many respectable people as
regards this matter, and see if she is
not already convinced that here is a
monster of evil in our midst to be slain
before purity and right can reign. Let
her read the terrible literature which
the need for facts as basis for reform
has collected, and then let us picture
the life of the individual and the So
ciety of the noble and enlightened,
and compare it with the life of sin and
shame, of disease and weakness and
horror of desolation, which her study
has revealed to her, and she will need
no more proofs of the evil, and the
public need that it be lessened right
speedily.
Second, as to the special call for
women of character and influence TO
deal with this evil. That which is
demanded of those who would war
against the social evil is the cleansing
of the sources Of wrong thought and
action in ignorant or debased homes;
the protection and instruction of youth;
the enlightenment OF mothers and
fathers; the publication of literature;
the dignitying of social intercourse;
the creation anu enforcement of an
equal standard of purity for both sexes,
the wiping out of unjust, and the sup
planting of inadeq s&te legal restraints, |
and the prevention Of all attempted |
protection by law. In all this men
may help, and nightly, but women |
must lead, and must do the main part |
of the work. And that, not because |
men are in any way to be excused from |
their full share in the hard and often |
dismal business. but rather because |
women are at once stronger, wiser, and |
more competent for this service; |
stronger because, during the ages in |
which man has been allowed by social |
customs, to give reign to physical pas |
sion without fear of aught but God s |
penalties, woman has been held to a |
strict account in this matter, and has |
the ingrained sense of self-restraint;
stronger, also, doubtless, to justly |
estimate the Importance of right sex
ual relations, because the temptation |
in her own nature is passive, while it |
is active in man, and the consequences
of sin naturally rest on her far more |
heavily than on him. Wiser is wo
man to lead in the warfare for purity |
than man; but not of her own self |
choice has the wisdom come, any more |
than the strength. When God wrote |
motherhood on the heart of her being. |
spiritual and physical, he insured that |
drill in patient serving, self-sacrilice, |
and fervor of devotion to others which |
has taught her earlier than man how |
to fuse all elements of unholy passion |
in the pure flame of love. So deep, so |
thorough has been this drill, that to- |
day, whatever woman s faults may be, |
wherever she has become free enough |
and educated enough to express clearly
her own individuality, she has that
purity of heart, which can alone see
and follow the good that lies at the
center of this social question, in great
er measure than man. More compe-
tent for this service in the cause of
purity is the average woman than the
average man, because of the delicacy
of perception and winning persuasion
of ministry, with which this drill in
motherhood's school has endowed her.
The power that makes her in her lower
nature mans tempter is the very pow
er of personal influence, which can
alone save man from the temptations
of his own nature, and youth from the
rashness and Ignorance which are its
undOing.
ITO be 1ntirued,I